Baylor University Ranks Top 25 for Greenest Football Universities

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Media contact: Tonya Lewis, (254) 710-4656
WACO, Texas (Sept. 8, 2014 )-- Baylor University is making plays on and off the field by going greener.
Baylor University ranks 21 out of the 25 top football schools in the nation in terms of sustainability efforts, according to SaveOnEnergy.com, a division of Save On Energy LLC. The survey was conducted on a basis that examined criteria such as stadium stability efforts, number of active green organizations, water diversion rate, percentage of budget spent on locally grown or organic foods and level of environmental studies degrees offered.
This comes as exciting news to Smith Getterman, assistant director of sustainability and special projects at Baylor University. During Getterman’s tenure, Baylor has won national awards and recognition for sustainability from such organizations as the National Wildlife Federation, The New York Times, the Princeton Review, the City of Waco, U.S. News and World Report and Keep Texas Beautiful.
“SaveOnEnergy.com had seen us on the Associated Press’s annual list of top 25 football schools and knew what we were doing as far as sustainability,” Getterman said.
After the AP list was released, SaveOnEnergy.com contacted each of the 25 schools and asked department heads to fill out a survey regarding the overview of campus sustainability efforts.
Though Baylor ranked 21 overall on the list, McLane Stadium ranked 10th among stadiums for its eco-friendly features such as special flush toilets, high-efficiency lights and low-flow water fixtures.
“For Baylor to be on this list is really exciting,” Getterman said. “Just like our football program, we’re a private school competing against universities four to five times the size of us. That’s a huge accomplishment in both football and sustainability.”
In the 2013 football season, Baylor University fans recycled approximately 50 percent, about 15 tons, of waste thanks to the strategically-placed recycling containers. This year the new and improved chrome recycling containers can be found located throughout the stadium.
by Sarah Czerwinski, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.